


Living Without Regret

by KorrinBelle



Series: Living [2]
Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Confessions, Foiled Confessions, Hand Jobs, M/M, Masturbation, Tsunderes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-20
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 03:59:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1211893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorrinBelle/pseuds/KorrinBelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of the Impure King, Rin's impending execution had made Ryuuji realize his true feelings. But what the hell is he supposed to do about it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

           The night was dark, and nearly silent. Ordinarily the constant, deafening hum of cicadas would have filled the summer nights with calming white noise, but the events of the past few days had scared off or killed much of the wildlife in the surrounding area. The only sound that filled the shared room was from the other sleeping Exwires, snoring and shuffling softly in their futons, spread out across the tatami matted floor. Unable to find sleep amid his racing thoughts, Ryuuji had wandered down from his own room to find the source of his sleeplessness.

            His body and mind were exhausted from maintaining the shield that contained the Impure King's miasma, pushing his body to its utmost limits. He had done his part, and the danger had been averted, and yet for some reason his thoughts were running in circles, preventing him from getting some much needed rest. He cast a glare across the darkened room at Rin, the source of his frustration, who was sprawled out haphazardly across his own futon, somehow sleeping soundly despite the looming threat of execution.

            Their budding friendship had become strained and awkward after it had been revealed that Rin was the son of Satan. Hell, his jaw still ached from where Rin had hit him a few days prior, yet when Ryuuji learned that their fight meant a death sentence for Rin, his gut dropped, and his chest tightened. He thought he should have been glad that a demon, the son of Satan no less, should be killed. Yet he couldn't separate the concept of "son of Satan" from the bumbling, goofy, academically incompetent, but excitable and earnestly caring person Rin truly seemed to be. The face he had made, when he realized he had successfully controlled his flames to purge the bacteria from everyone's bodies, was like that of a grade-schooler proudly announcing he had just learned to tie his shoes on his own. If he was a monster, he was also an amazing actor.

            Tip-toeing silently through the sea of sleeping Exwires, he made his way outside to sit on the courtyard porch in the cool night air. Ryuuji ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his temples, annoyed at how much he worried about someone who clearly didn't worry about himself, always running off on his own to face demons without backup. In hindsight, Ryuuji realized that Rin had been trying to keep his identity hidden, but nothing ever seemed to faze him. Not even the fact that, somewhere, some anonymous group of people were deciding whether or not he would be killed.

            It was that very thing, that impending death sentence, that made Ryuuji realize just how much he would miss the other boy if he was killed.

            "Yo, Bon. Watcha' doing out here?"

            Ryuuji jumped as the voice broke the silence from behind him, and his face flushed as he turned angrily to glare at Rin. "Fuck! Don't' scare me like that!"

            "Ooh, sorry Princess," Rin grinned at him evilly, baring his teeth. Ryuuji couldn't help but feel his eyes drawn to the large fangs only a few feet from his face, and wondered how they, and his pointed ears for that matter, had gone completely unnoticed until Rin had revealed his blue flames.

            "Don't call me that," he growled through clenched teeth, and tore his eyes away from Rin, hiding the flush on his cheeks.

            "Whatever. Watcha' doing out here? Trouble sleeping?" he asked, flopping down on the deck next to Ryuuji.

            Ryuuji glared at him through his messy fringe before sighing. "Yeah... Can't stop worrying."

            "What's there to worry about. We defeated the Impure King and everything turned out fine!" Rin said, punctuating the last statement by slapping Ryuuji roughly on the back, causing him to grunt.

            "Yeah... Everything turned out fine..." Ryuuji repeated with a sigh. It was true. Somehow, miraculously, they'd sustained zero casualties. Thanks to Rin.

            "Don't be a buzz kill. What's wrong?"

            "Buzz kill?! You asshole! Did you forget you might be executed?" Ryuuji hissed accusingly at him, trying to keep his voice down.

            The slow, innocent smile that spread across Rin's face in to full-fledged grin accompanied by a slight flush of embarrassment across his own cheeks showed that he had forgotten.

            "Idiot! How could you forget something like that!?"

           

            "Aww, Bon's worried about me," he chuckled quietly, placing his hand on Ryuji's shoulder.  The larger teen tensed under his grip.

            "Idiot," Ryuuji hissed, "How can you not be worried? Thinking about it... It makes me sick." He shrugged Rin's hand off his shoulder and buried his face in his hands, feeling hot and embarrassed to admit something like that.

            Rin stared intently at Ryuuji through the darkness. Even a few feet away, he could feel the heat radiating from his body in the cool night air.

            "Don't worry about it," he suddenly said seriously, like it was an order, "It's not your fault."

            Ryuuji looked up from his hands to stare incredulously at the demon boy. "Fault? Of course it's not my fault. That doesn't mean I don't care," he blurted out, his face instantly going red. Rin stared at him with wide, questioning eyes, and Ryuuji rushed to add, "You're my... friend. Of course I'm worried about you."

            _Idiot_ , Ryuuji mentally reprimanded himself with a sigh. Why now of all times was he afraid to speak openly?

             He peered sideways through the darkness at Rin and blanched when he saw the stupid grin on his face. Like a puppy greeting its master, his tail swished back and forth eagerly behind him.

            "I'm so glad!" Rin said earnestly, "after what happened before... You... Everyone was so apprehensive around me, but... I'd never hurt any of you. Not willingly... Unless you deserved it," he suddenly said, glaring accusingly at Ryuuji, "I thought you were worried about the fight we had before all this started... The one where I revealed myself to your whole family," he said, looking away in to the darkness with a frown etched on to his face, like he was actually ashamed of his actions for once.

            "Idiot... " Ryuuji muttered. The fight in question, being the one where Rin had tried to force Ryuuji to apologize to his father by punching him in the face, and which Ryuuji had responded by brushing him off, not wanting to accept family advice from someone who declared killing his father to be his main goal in life. It was only afterwards, when Ryuuji had read the letter written by his own father to Rin, that he had realized what he had missed. Rin and Yukio had been raised as humans, by humans. More than that, they had been raised by a man that his own father had admired.  

            "I am being serious! What if your father had died? How would you feel then, after what you said to him?" Rin's voice hitched.

            Ryuuji peered at him through the darkness, but he couldn't make out his features, hidden by his shaggy hair.

            "So... You hit me, because you were worried about how I'd feel..." Ryuuji's brow puckered as he tried to work his way through Rin's logic.

            "Yes!"

            "You're an idiot."

            "Don't call me an idiot, asshole!"

            "Don't call me an asshole, idiot!"

            Ryuuji and Rin glared at each other in the darkness, both of them straining to keep their anger in check. Starting a fist fight in the courtyard in the middle of the night would piss everyone off, but Rin turned away suddenly, snarling.

            "I just don't want you to have to live with the same regret as I do. Screw me for caring, right?" he said, standing suddenly and turning to go back inside the Inn. He was stopped by a strong hand suddenly grasping his wrist.

            "What do you mean?" Ryuuji asked slowly.

            "It's nothing," Rin said, shaking Ryuuji's hand off, but he didn't continue inside.

            "It's obviously not. I said it, didn't I? I'm your friend, so tell me."

            Rin sighed, and plopped back down on the porch next to Ryuuji. He didn't speak immediately, taking a deep breath and letting it puff out passed his lips. Ryuuji simply waited.

            "You know... I've got a temper."

            "No shit."

            "Don't interrupt, Asshole! I'm telling a serious story!"

            Ryuuji snapped his mouth shut, not even rising to the bait of the insult this time.

            "You read the letter, right? The one your dad wrote?" he asked, waiting for Ryuuji to nod before continuing, "So you know me an' Yukio were raised by Father Fujimoto, the previous Paladin... And you know he died a few months ago..."

            Ryuuji nodded again, starting to get an idea of where the story was going.

            Rin continued, his voice wavering, "I'm sure you can figure the rest out." Bitterness tinged his voice as he tucked his knees up and buried his face against them, gripping them tightly with his hands as he finished speaking.

            "You had a fight before he died..."

            "Understatement of the fucking year."

            Ryuuji thought he could see Rin trembling slightly, but wasn't sure. A small sniffle broke through the silence, coming from Rin.

            "Are you crying?"

            "No!" Rin snapped at him incredulously, but Ryuuji thought he could see Rin's eyes glistening in the moonlight as he tried to hold back his tears. Rin growled, baring his fangs, but suddenly found himself pulled close to Ryuuji in a tight hug. He froze in the embrace, and Ryuuji scowled, feeling his cheeks heat up again. This close to the other boy he could feel the heat radiating from his body, could smell the sweat on him, and hear his heart beating rapidly.

            "It's not like it was your fault he died."

            "But it IS like that," Rin snapped, his voice trembling, but not bothering to push Ryuuji away.

            "You might have said some stuff, but I know... I know you didn't kill him yourself. It wasn't your fault. I'm sure he... I'm sure your father knew, it was just words. Kids are stupid like that. Like us," he said, hesitating, "We taunt and insult each other all the time, but that's just the way we are. Shit happens. We're still friends."

            Rin pulled back enough so he could look up in to Ryuuji's eyes, and Ryuuji tried to ignore how close their faces were. Rin rubbed his eyes furiously to erase any sign of tears and plastered a smile on his face, but it didn't quite reach as high as his usual stupid grin.

            "... Thanks," he said simply.

            "D-don't mention it!" Ryuuji said sharply, pushing Rin away to arm's length.

            "Really," Rin said smiling slightly brighter, "Thanks. And don't worry about the execution," he said, suddenly switching gears, "I've done all I can to make myself look good, so there's no point worrying about it until it happens, and then we'll do what we can do, so get some sleep," he said with a laugh.

            "I have no idea how you can laugh over something like that," Ryuuji grumbled, but Rin just shrugged, his stupid, oblivious grin lighting up his face, before he stood and turned to head quietly back inside to sleep.

            Ryuuji sighed, remaining out on the porch for a while, trying to allow himself to cool off. Embracing Rin like that, even though he brushed it off as being an embrace based on friendship... It was all he could manage right now. Still, he knew there was no way he could forget about the execution. With Rin's talk about not wanting Ryuuji to live with regret... If the Vatican executed Rin... The question was, which would he regret more? Ruining their friendship or missing out on something more.

            Ryuuji clenched his fists tightly, trying to reign in his frustration, as he thought back on when he'd realized it. Their relationship had always been adversarial and rough. Even now they couldn't stop insulting one another constantly. At one time he'd looked down on Rin as a slacker and an eyesore, but somewhere along the way he'd grown to constantly worry about him, always running headfirst in to danger without a second thought... Like that time he'd saved Ryuuji from the Leaper by practically jumping right in to its mouth. In spite of the fact  that Ryuuji had treated him like a huge asshole, he hadn't hesitated to come to his defense. Somewhere along the way he'd grown to enjoy the fool's company, to enjoy the look of his stupid face and his earnest nature, the way he could shrug off all his worries and be made happy by the simplest things. The events of the past few days had made Ryuuji aware of how he really felt. He wouldn't just miss Rin. It would hurt. It already did.

            Ryuuji sighed, letting his hands fall limply at his sides, and then stood silently to head back inside. Rin was somehow already back asleep, his blankets thrown aside and his shirt riding up to reveal his wiry stomach. Ryuuji grunted, running his hands through his mussed up hair and turning away to return to his room to try to get some sleep, but it only came in fits. He couldn't stop thinking about the idea of living with regret.

 

 

 

 

            The next day Rin was back in his usual high spirits, and it seemed as if all of the other Exwires had either forgiven Rin his demonic heritage or come to terms with it, finally trusting in his ability to control the flames. They were even making fun of the fact that he was the Son of Satan, which somehow made the whole thing seem slightly less threatening, but which annoyed Rin to no end.

            They spent the day sightseeing around Kyoto, visiting the various shrines, temples and tourist hotspots. They even made a stop at the Kyoto Tower just to make the Son of Satan happy, despite it being considered an out of place, eyesore and a waste of tax payer money by most of the city residents. It was almost as if everything was completely back to normal between everyone, as if the whole forest training camp incident had never happened, which is why it caught Ryuuji completely off guard when Rin made an off-hand comment about being disappointed that they didn't have enough time to use the public baths in the tower, as if that would be the perfect end to their day off and Ryuuji suddenly found himself becoming aroused. Without any conscious desire, an image of Rin naked in the baths flashed behind his eyes, and he recalled the scent of Rin's sweat from the night before. He had to spend the last bit of their trip with his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his arousal and frustration.

            He had never really thought of himself as gay. Rather, he'd written off his complete lack of interest in any kind of romantic endeavour as being a side effect of his dedication towards his goal of becoming an exorcist, defeating Satan, and reviving his family's temple. Yet, as soon as they returned to his family Ryokan after their day of sightseeing, he found himself locked in one of the bathrooms, with his hands in his pants and thinking about another boy.

            His calloused fingers slid urgently over his stiff cock, slick with his own saliva, as he leaned over the toilet, bracing himself against the wall. He bit his lip, trying to keep silent as he stroked himself.

            He thought of Rin in the public bath. He thought of the way his muscles moved beneath his skin and imagined drops of water tracing paths across his chest. He thought of them arguing, as they always did, getting right up in each other's faces, followed by some aggressive splashing, and then wrestling in the hot, steaming waters, their bodies pressed up against each other. He thought of pinning him down against the cold, hard, tile floor and...

            Ryuuji stifled a groan as he came, and then took a moment to catch his breath, before putting himself away and flushing the toilet. He took one final moment to compose himself, to catch his breath and let the flush fade from his cheeks, before leaving the bathroom and going to join the others for dinner. He sat across from Rin, trying not to look at the other boy as he began to serve himself dinner. The others were happily discussing their day with anyone interested, and if anything looked out of place about Ryuuji, no one seemed to notice, but now that his moment was over he felt the shame of quietly contemplating his actions. His conversation with Rin the previous night came back to the forefront of his mind and he couldn't stop thinking of 'what if'.

            It had become apparent to him that, without even realizing it, he had become attracted to the other boy, maybe even fallen in love. He cared about Rin, but what could he do? Even now Rin sat across the table, making half hearted, boyish attempts to chat up Shiemi. Rin liked Shiemi. It was obvious to everyone except her, but then again, the fact that SHE liked Yukio was obvious to everyone as well, including Rin, but that didn't seem to stop him from trying. Ryuuji hid a sigh behind the act of shovelling food in to his mouth.

            "What's the matter, Grumpy-chan?"

            It took a moment for Ryuuji to realize that Rin was addressing him and he flushed, partly because of being caught in the middle of an embarrassing thought, and partly because of the stupid pet-names/insults that Rin was always throwing at him.

            "Fuck off," Ryuuji growled, shoving more food in mouth and turning away from Rin. The venom in his voice gave everyone within earshot pause. Rin stared at Ryuuji for a moment, his brow furrowed and nostrils flaring, before he shook it off and went back to talking to Shiemi.

            "A-Are you okay, Bon?" Konekomaru asked him tentatively.

            "I'm fine," he grunted, but Ryuuji finished eating as quick as he could, and then left the table, trying to get away from the group, to get away from Rin and the feelings he brought up in him.

            He wasn't sure what had happened. The day had started off so normally, and now he couldn't even be near Rin without feeling a strange host of emotions. The thought of Rin having a girlfriend made him angry, jealous, and frustrated, and the thought of simply continuing to use his friend as masturbation material filled Ryuuji with shame, self loathing, and a desire for something more meaningful, but Rin was obviously straight, so what the hell was he supposed to do? He thought he could put his feelings aside and just deal with the situation as it was,  as long as they could work together indefinitely, exorcising demons and saving each other's asses. Just being friends. He didn't have that luxury though. The execution changed things. His ability to spend time with Rin, to just be near him, could be cut short without notice. It was like an invisible clock hanging over his head; one he could hear, steadily ticking away each second, but which he could not see to read how much time remained.

           Ryuuji headed for the bathhouse, wanting to be alone, to make sense of his whirling thoughts and try to relax. Most of the family and the rest of the exorcists were still eating dinner and chatting, so he knew he'd have the bath to himself for a little while.

            He stripped down when he got there, leaving his clothes in one of the cubbies. He then washed himself thoroughly in the showers before slowly easing himself in to the steaming waters of the bath. After the rigors of the past few days fighting demons, and having spent the day traveling around Kyoto in the summer heat, covered in sweat, the deep, wet heat of the bath felt amazing. He let his mind empty and his troubles melt away in to the water as he stretched out, letting the heat soak in to his tired muscles.

 

 

            He might have actually dozed off, because when his mind snapped back to reality he had that sense of an unknowable amount of time having passed, and Rin was suddenly standing in front of him with nothing more than a towel around his waist.

            "So this is where you've been," Rin said, removing the towel and setting it aside to start showering. Ryuuji averted his eyes sharply, but his brain was already eagerly reminding him of what he'd been doing in the bathroom less than an hour ago. He was already warm from the water, and his body wasn't doing him any favours.

            "What was up at dinner?" Rin asked as he showered, not bothering to look at Ryuuji.

            "Nothing."

            "Seriously? You've been acting weird since we got back."

            "I said it's nothing."

            "Look man, I'm sorry about callin' you Grumpy-chan. Is that it?"

            "... No, that's..." he trailed off as Rin had already finished showering and was getting in to the oversized bath tub with him. Ryuuji flushed, pulling his knees up and crossing his legs to try to hide his blossoming erection.

            "I aint' leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on with you," Rin said flatly as he planted himself firmly in the tub across from Ryuuji, arms crossed across his chest. "Something is bugging you, and as your friend it's my job to help."

            Ryuuji felt a vein start to throb in his forehead. Why did Rin have to be so thickly oblivious? Or was that a good thing? He felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, literally and figuratively. Tell Rin how he felt and potentially lose his friend and be shamed, or say nothing and potentially lose his friend anyways without ever having explored the possibilities. That was the figurative situation. The literal one would have Rin himself as the rock, and Ryuuji's erection as the hard place.

            The silence stretched on. Ryuuji refused to look at Rin, but he could feel the demon boy's eyes boring holes in to him. Ryuuji wasn't sure what to do, aside from hope for an interruption, but then he wondered why he was hesitating. Even if Rin rejected his feelings and the idea of a relationship with him, wasn't it important that Rin knew he was loved by someone, regardless of what the Vatican thought about him?

            "Rin..."

            "Yes?!" Rin jumped, as if he had not been expecting Ryuuji to break the silence first.

            "You... You like Shiemi, right?"

            Rin flushed, rubbing his head and averting his eye's from Ryuuji. "Y-Yeah... But..." he trailed off.

            _But what?_

Ryuuji steeled himself. He'd barely come to terms with how he felt, and it was already driving him crazy. He swallowed the lump in his throat. It was now or never.

            "What about... Have you ever... had as crush on a guy?"

            Rin flushed, looking up at Ryuuji sharply and opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut again as the door to the bathroom opened, and Shima and Konekomaru walked in. Ryuuji and Rin both flushed, turning away from each other quickly.

            "Y-yeah, the water sure is amazing!" Rin said hurriedly, as if they'd been deep in some asinine small talk that was completely normal, and not at all personal or embarrassing.

            "Uh- Yeah..." Ryuuji added lamely.

            Rin eyed him questioningly when he was sure the other boy's weren't looking, but with the moment gone, having left that bomb hanging in the air between them, Ryuuji left the bath as soon as he felt it was 'safe' to do so, and did his best to avoid Rin for the rest of the evening.

 

**************

 

            The next few days were rough on Ryuuji. They were forced together when everyone went to watch Shima's brother play in his band, but they were never alone together. A live concert, let alone one involving screaming death metal, or whatever genre it was supposed to be, was hardly the place to have any kind of serious conversation. The day after that it was back to business as usual with the stop at the beach to fight the Kraken. That was uncomfortable in more ways than one. Just like Shima said, bathing suits were like being naked, but not quite. Of course, Shima and Ryuuji were admiring entirely different things. Unexpectedly, the moment the Kraken showed up, Rin ran headfirst in to battle, leaving almost everyone on the shore to worry and wait for the battle to come to them.

            Ryuuji put on a brave face, that is, his usual stern scowl, but every second since their conversation in the bath had been interrupted gnawed at him, and he counted the seconds until they could be alone, hoping that his time wouldn't run out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rin's execution looming ominously on the horizon, Ryuuji decided he can't keep waiting and finally gathers up the nerve to let Rin know how he really feels.

            It had been three days since their night time conversation in the courtyard at his family's Inn, and two days since the incident in the bath; two days before they could be alone again after Ryuuji had failed to start the conversation that he desperately wanted to have with Rin. He'd tried to pretend that everything was normal over the past couple days, and he may have been able to keep it up, but it was killing him. He had little appetite and could hardly sleep.

            Rin hadn't bothered to seek him out either. He had been avoiding the other boy while they'd been unable to find time alone, but a little part of him had hoped that Rin would be the one to seek him out, to ask what Ryuuji had meant with his question. _Doesn't he care?_ _Was it too weird?_ Ryuuji worried, _Or has he not thought about it at all and already forgotten?_ That probably was the most likely scenario... and Ryuuji still felt like he was running out of time.

            He didn't think he'd get any notice about the execution either. It wasn't like they were dealing with a legitimate government legal system which would take years upon years to deal such a heavy verdict as a death sentence, let alone carry it out. He was just an Exwire. If it was decided that Rin was to be executed he could be dragged away and killed at a moment's notice without a real trial; without Ryuuji knowing until after it had already been done. Like the time at Mephy-Land, when Shura dragged Rin away to the Vatican. Even then they hadn't been given any kind of explanation. It was only after Rin had already revealed his powers during the training camp that they were begrudgingly informed about the whole "son of Satan" thing.

            The invisible clock ticked away the seconds. If he was going to say anything, he couldn't wait.

            He headed for Rin's dorm by himself on their first morning back to normal classes. He was ordinarily an early riser, so it wouldn't raise any alarms with Shima or Konekomaru, and Yukio was a teacher and a star student, so Ryuuji had no doubt that he'd head to school well ahead of his slacker of an older brother, especially after having been away from school for a while. Ryuuji stayed back, out of sight, and waited for Yukio to leave so he could head inside without having to answer any awkward questions. When the coast was clear, he cautiously approached the building.

            It felt funny, letting himself in, but it was a dorm after all, even though the Okumura twins were the only ones who lived there. The halls were silent, dimly lit, and covered in a thick layer of dust from disuse. He would have been able to find his way to Rin's room on his own, even if he hadn't known the way, by the trail of footprints the twins had worn in to the grime. He made his way to Rin's room and stood in front of the door for a moment, gathering his resolve. He took a deep, steadying breath and then raised his fist to knock on the door.

            A loud thump and a curse came from the other side of the door, followed by scrambling footsteps, before the door was thrown open.

            "I'm up, Yukio! I'm - Oh, it's you," Rin said, a slight flush appeared on his cheeks as he eyed Ryuuji. He turned away from the door and gestured for Ryuuji to enter. It was clear that whatever he'd been about to say was a lie. Rin was failing to stifle a yawn that revealed his fangs, and was making a half assed attempt to fix the sheets laying on the floor where he'd clearly fallen out of bed. He then made a weak effort to get his bed head under control.

            "Watcha' want?" he asked, still yawning, and lifting his oversized night shirt to scratch at his stomach. Ryuuji turned his eyes away and cleared his throat, trying to hold on to his fading resolve.

            "I gotta' tell you something," he started, "About our talk, the other night, at my family's ryokan," he stopped, waiting for Rin to give some sign that he remembered, even though it had only been three nights ago. Rin's eyes were focused on him sharply, clearly sensing the seriousness of the situation, and Ryuuji felt his cheeks heating up again. "A-About not wanting to live with regret... There's something I need to tell you... In case the execution... "

            "Are you still worried about that?" Rin said, almost admonishing Ryuuji for his worry.

            "Of course I am, Idiot! How could I not be?!" Ryuuji seethed, forgetting his embarrassment for a moment, but it was brought back instantly as Rin quieted, and asked "Okay, So...? Tell me then."

            Ryuuji clenched and unclenched his fists, unable to meet Rin's eyes.

            "When I said I thought of you as a friend... That wasn't the whole truth," he began, but instantly regretted his choice of words, as a strangled whimper drew his eyes back to Rin, who was staring at him like an injured animal.

                        "I'm not finished!" Ryuuji snapped. He was angry that Rin was so oblivious that he hadn't clued in to how he felt, but angry at himself for not being able to say it right. He didn't think his face could get any hotter, and he took a deep breath and clenched his fists by his sides, screwed his eyes shut, and blurted it all out at once before he could screw it up any further.

            "Don't say it's gross or nothin', okay, I know it's weird, and in fact you don't have to say anything at all, I don't expect anything, but I have to say it, I like you as more than a friend, and I just needed to get it off my chest in case you get killed, okay?!" Ryuuji was breathing heavily, catching his breath after having said it all in one, big, embarrassing run on sentence. He stared at Rin expectantly, not really sure what he was waiting for, and part of him wanted to run before any answer could be offered.

            Rin was quiet for a moment, simply staring at him, and Ryuuji felt the urge to simply turn and run growing with each passing second.

            "Sooo..." Rin began, breaking the tense silence, "Just to be clear, you mean you want to like, kiss me an' _stuff_?" he asked finally, framing the word "stuff" with air quotes.

            Ryuuji pursed his lips together, scowled at the floor and nodded simply. He was afraid to look up at Rin, afraid of what his expression might tell him.

            "We're both guys," Rin said, but it was a statement of fact, not a protest.

            "You think I don't know that!?" Ryuuji snapped, his face burning with shame, "It doesn't matter anyways! Forget it," he said, grinding his teeth and turning to stomp out of the dorm room.

            "Wait," Rin said, grabbing his arm. Ryuuji froze, but Rin said nothing. Ryuuji could feel his pulse where Rin was touching him, like an electric surge. He only dared to turn and face Rin as the silence seemed to drag on unbearably. Rin was biting his bottom lip, his eyes wide and inquisitive, but gazing off in to the distance as if he was lost in thought. After a moment he seemed to snap back to his senses, and he looked up at Ryuuji with determination in his eyes, and tightening the grip on his wrist.

            "Wha-"

            He was cut off as Rin gave a slight tug and stretched upwards, planting his lips gently against Ryuuji's and closing his eyes. Ryuuji's breath hitched as he felt heat and electric current rushing through his body, emanating for both places where his skin met Rin's.

            It was gentle and chaste, merely skin against skin, and it seemed at the same time to last forever and to be over in instant. Rin pulled away, licking his lips tentatively, and furrowing his brow in thought. Ryuuji meanwhile was unable to move, and had to force himself to continue breathing after the moment ended.

            "That wasn't so bad," Rin said, touching two fingers delicately to his lips, "Your lips are soft... Like a woman's!"

            "Shut up! How would you know?!" Ryuuji snarled, snapping back to his senses and glaring down at Rin, but Rin simply smirked up at him. Ryuuji swallowed his anger, once again upset at himself for rising so easily to Rin's bait. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

            "What are you playing at?" he asked slowly, trying to keep his breathing even and his hopes down.

            "Nothing!" Rin said, hurt passing across his face, "Just... I thought I'd give it a try before I made a decision," he said with a scowl, his face flushed red. A growl started deep in his throat as he glared up at Ryuuji with a defiant pout, but he didn't release his hold on his wrist. The sound hit Ryuuji deep in his gut, tying his insides up in knots, and making him feel hot all over.

            "You didn't mind it?"

            "N-No..." Rin said, flushing with embarrassment at admitting it, glancing away from Ryuuji.

            Ryuuji flipped his wrist over so he could quickly grip Rin's hand. He ran a calloused thumb over the top of his hand, and Rin shivered slightly, looking up at Ryuuji questioningly, his brow knit in confusion.

            "Can I kiss you again?" Ryuuji asked, his voice husky and low.

            Rin didn't say anything at first, and Ryuuji was about to release his hand when he gave a curt, single nod.

            That was all the invitation he needed for now, and he tightened his grip on Rin's hand, leaning down and reaching up with the other hand cup to Rin's jaw gently, pulling his head up in to a kiss. Gentle at first, but quickly growing in earnestness, Ryuuji opened his mouth to taste Rin, releasing his hand to wrap his arm around him and pull him close. Rin was stiff at first, but slowly began to return the same level of passion, opening his mouth to accept Ryuuji's tongue. Their teeth scraped together and Ryuuji could feel Rin tug at his lips gently with his fangs. A low groan escaped Ryuuji's throat as they slowly pulled apart to breath. Both of them were panting heavily, sharing the same air, their faces mere inches apart.

            "And how was that?" Ryuuji asked huskily, his breath thick with pleasure.

            "T-That was... You know...pretty... okay," Rin said lamely, his face bright red.

            "Okay?! " Ryuuji asked incredulously, "Just okay?! What the hell is wrong with you?" He stopped mid-rant suddenly, glancing downward. He then looked up quickly, his mouth twitching upward in to a self satisfied smirk. "Just 'okay'?" he asked again, "I can feel your boner poking me in the leg."

            Rin's face turned bright red, right up to the tips of his pointed ears, and he buried his face against Ryuuji's chest. "Shaddup," his muffled voice came up from amid the fabric of Ryuuji's shirt.

            Ryuuji moved his hand up, gently running his fingers through Rin's hair, and tucking his head under his chin. He held him close, breathing deeply and memorizing his scent, before gently pushing Rin back, putting some space between them.

            "So?" Ryuuji asked, looking anywhere but directly at Rin.

            "So... what?"

            "What do you mean 'So what'?!"

            "Are we ... are we dating now?" Rin asked, as he looked up at him.

            "That's what I'm asking you, idiot!"

            Rin scowled. "You're not a very nice boyfriend if you're always calling me an idiot."

            Ryuuji flinched, clamping down on his irritation and gritting his teeth, "S-Sorry..." he stammered.

            "Hah! You're so easy!" Rin shouted, grinning like a child.

            "Augh! Idiot" He shouted, shoving Rin away, and crossing his arms across his chest defensively. Angry, embarrassed, and aroused all at the same time, heat could practically be seen emanating from Ryuuji as he scowled. "Stop fucking with me!"

            Rin smirked up at Ryuuji, narrowing his eyes. His tongue snaked out to lick his fangs like a hungry cat. "I'd think after your confession that that's exactly what you _wouldn't_ want. For me to stop _fucking_ with you," he said, clearly enunciating the word 'fucking'.

            Ryuuji swallowed the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. "W-We have to go. We have class."

            "So?" Rin smiled devilishly, "You of all people could stand to skip once in a while.

            "And you, least of all!" Ryuuji snapped.

            "So, you're just gonna' get a guy all hot and bothered and leave it at that?" Rin asked, leaning in again and pressing the full length of his body against Ryuuji.

            Ryuuji wanted to step back, to put some space between them so he could cool off, but he was already backed up against the closed door. He swallowed, wetting his dry throat. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, his face burning and his eyes unable to leave Rin's.

            Rin smiled triumphantly and grabbed Ryuuji's arm, leading towards his half made bed.

            "W-What-" Ryuuji stuttered as Rin pushed him down, forcing him to sit on the edge of the small bed, taking a seat almost in his lap.

            "What?" Rin asked, freezing in Ryuuji's lap and peering at him tentatively from under his lashes, "You don't want to?"        

            "No... That is... I mean, of course I want to," Ryuuji stammered while heat flooded his face, "But..."

            "It's not like there's a better place to sit," Rin said as he began nuzzling Ryuuji's throat. Ryuuji groaned involuntarily as Rin scraped his teeth gently across his skin and began suckling at the juncture of neck just below his jaw line.

           It was true. The Okumura's bedroom contained hardly anything more than two beds, two dressers, two desks, and two uncomfortable looking chairs. In other words, a standard dorm bedroom. No couch. The bed really was the only place to sit together, implications aside.

            . Ryuuji remained frozen in place, and Rin leaned back to look him in the eyes, concern marring his brow.

            "Suguro... Are you okay?"

            Ryuuji nodded.

            "If you want me to stop... Just say so."

Ryuuji's heart was hammering in his chest. He swallowed the lump in his throat, but said nothing.

            Rin grinned and leaned in again. Ryuuji could feel himself getting hard as Rin shifted his weight against him, turning to straddle his waist as he continued to nip at his neck and run his hands through his now mussed up hair. Rin's attention drew an involuntary groan from Ryuuji's lips as he leaned back against the wall in Rin's bunk and reached up to put his hands on his waist, feeling the wiry muscle of his hips beneath his flimsy pyjama pants.

            Ryuuji was having a hard time processing how quickly it was all happening. Rin's hands had already started impatiently unbuttoning his shirt and were making their way underneath it to tease across Ryuuji's abs and hips. Ryuuji flinched every time Rin's fingers teased beyond the waistband of his pants, while Rin's mouth continuing its electrifying attack on his neck and shoulders. A shock of pleasure surged through Ryuuji every time Rin dared scrape his fangs across his skin, not enough to really hurt, but just enough so that the sudden, sharp pressure played a strong counter point among the gentle sucking and kissing. Ryuuji couldn't believe that he'd been the one to confess, and was now simply letting the force that was Rin wash over him. He had been so afraid of what Rin would say, that he hadn't put any thought in to afterword. He'd barely even moved his hands from the demon boy's hips until Rin began to insistently grind himself against Ryuuji's stomach, eliciting a low moan in Ryuuji's ear, his hot breath washing over his skin.

            Moved to action by the noises coming out of Rin, Ryuuji let his hands slip in between them, toying with the hem of the smaller boy's oversized night shirt. Gently, he began to run his fingers over Rin's stomach, the slight touch causing his muscles to jump beneath his skin. Rin simply buried his face against Ryuuji's neck, clutching at him, one arm around his neck and the other around his chest, snaking inside his shirt and uniform jacket, trying to remain still as he let the larger boy begin play with the hem of his pants.

            "S-Suguro..." Rin mewled hotly in his ear, not bothering to hide his desire. His tail slithered across Ryuuji's lap before sliding down to coil around one of his legs. It was oddly possessive and arousing at the same time. Ryuuji swallowed and took a deep breath, the sound of Rin's pleading voice and the insistent movements of his whole body going straight to his groin. Slowly, in case Rin suddenly decided to protest, Ryuuji placed his hands over the top of the bulge in Rin's pants. He could feel the heat of the soft, but firm flesh beneath his grip, and the slight dampness pooling at the tip. _God, he's already so..._

Rin bucked in to his grip, and Ryuuji slid his hand down over the front of Rin's pants, feeling the shape of him clearly through the thin fabric.

            "Come on," Rin moaned, "More."

Ryuuji felt his dick twitch in response to Rin's wantonness, and he swallowed the lump in his throat before placing his palm flat against the smaller boy's wiry stomach, and began to slide his hand down in to his pyjama pants. Rin's only response was another strangled moan and the slight buck of his hips.

           

            Ryuuji swallowed his doubt, and wrapped his hand tentatively around Rin's erection, feeling his pulse. The smaller boy gasped, bucking in to his grip, urging him to do something, anything. Hesitantly, with his left hand on Rin's hip to steady him, he began gently stroking, just the slightest motion as he didn't have much room to move between them. Rin shifted backwards across Ryuuji's lap, to give him room to move, and his hips began thrusting in to Ryuuji's grip, almost as if they were moving against his will. Every stroke of Ryuuji's arm was matched by a slight, squeezing, pressure on his leg where Rin's tail was wrapped around him. Rin's breathing starting coming in short pants, and he pulled back from Ryuuji's neck to suck hungrily at his mouth, their teeth clashing once more. The erratic rhythm of Rin's hips and the look of pure lust his eyes shocked Ryuuji, urging him on. He tightened his grip on Rin's dick and could feel his pre-cum slicking the palm of his hand. He continued stroking the smaller boy rhythmically, his hand still buried deep in Rin's pants as he began to jerk against him, panting in to his open mouth. A low guttural moan escaped his throat as he came in to Ryuuji's hand, which continued moving, stroking Rin's softening dick to milk the last bit of pleasure out of his orgasm.

            After a few moments of ragged panting, Rin pulled back, staring at Ryuuji with clouded, lust filled eyes and an almost stupefied smile. Ryuuji admired that view, one he thought he'd never get to see except in his dreams, and pulled his hand from Rin's pants, only to recoil at the gooey mess spread across his fingers. After a moment of contemplation he wiped his hand off on Rin's pants.

            "Augh! Gross! What the hell!?" Rin shouted as he came back to his senses instantly and jumped up off of Ryuuji's lap.

            "You already came inside your pants anyways, idiot. What the hell was I supposed to do with you pinning me down?" he asked, his cheeks still red with arousal.

            "Coulda' asked for a tissue or something, geez!" Rin huffed, stripping his pants off in one fluid motion before balling them up and tossing them in to a nearby laundry pile. Ryuuji froze, openly staring at the now pantsless Rin, the oversized t-shirt he slept in hanging low over his hips. Even though Ryuuji had just had his hands down those very pants, the sight of Rin like that made his breath hitch in his throat and his erection strain painfully inside his own pants. He grunted uncomfortably and shifted his weight as he tried to ease some of his discomfort.

            "What?" Rin asked, a mischievous smile returning to his face as he turned on Ryuuji.

            "N-nothing," Ryuuji said, blushing hard.

            "I'm not stupid, you know," Rin said as he knelt in front of his bed, his hands on Ryuuji's knees.

            "I never said you were." He tried not to twitch as Rin began to slowly slide his hands up the inside of his thighs.

            "You say it all the time, asshole."

            Ryuuji merely grunted, unable to form a coherent response as Rin slid his hands up, past the bulge in his pants, the motion creating an almost, but not quite, pressure across his straining erection, and began to unbuckle his belt. He turned his head away, watching out of the corner of his eye as Rin undid his pants and then, after a moment of hesitation, pulled his boxers back, letting the cool air wash over his painfully hot erection.

            "Man, you're pretty big," Rin said in surprise before he tentatively gripped Ryuuji in his hand.

            "D-Don't say it like that..." Ryuuji said, covering his face with his hand. His own breathing was becoming ragged, and he could feel his pulse where Rin gripped him.

            "Why? Are you embarrassed?" Rin chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

            "W-who wouldn't be!?" Ryuuji blurted out.

            "Aw, poor baby. Let me kiss those hurt feelings better."

            "What the hell are you t- Oh!" Ryuuji was cut off as Rin leaned forward, pressing his lips to the head of Ryuuji's dick, kissing him softly before dragging his tongue roughly over the head of his dick, tasting him. He looked thoughtful for a moment, as if contemplating the taste, before pressing his face in close, past Ryuuji's throbbing dick and licking the underside of Ryuuji's shaft all the way from the base to the tip. Ryuuji let out a long, low groan, and it took all of his willpower to still his hips as Rin swirled his tongue around the head, before taking it slowly in to his mouth. Rin's mouth was so warm and wet, Ryuuji felt like he was melting. His breath began coming in short panting gulps, and he bucked his hips, no longer able to resist trying to drive himself in to that warm, wet heaven. Rin stuttered momentarily, gagging.

            "Watch it!" Rin said, coughing and wiping his mouth. Without hardly any hesitation he gripped Ryuuji's hips tightly, trying to hold him down, before continuing to run his tongue over Ryuuji's erection.

            "S-Sorry," Ryuuji could only gasp, his hips still twitching involuntarily, trying to thrust in to Rin's mouth with every slight movement, but unable to do so with Rin's surprisingly gentle, yet strong hands holding him in place. Rin looked up at him with half lidded, mischievous eyes as he ran his tongue over Ryuuji's manhood slowly, taking long, languid licks along its length. Ryuuji whimpered, blushing over the pathetic noises he was making, and buried his hands in Rin's hair, applying slight pressure to try to force the smaller boy's head down, to make him speed up. Rin glared up at him with his mouth wrapped firmly around Ryuuji, and slowed his pace in response to Ryuuji's eagerness, going so far as to remove Ryuuji from his mouth with an audible 'pop' and blow cold air along his length. Ryuuji grunted and squirmed, trying to escape the cold air cooling the saliva on his dick, to no avail, before Rin finally took mercy on him and swallowed his whole length, burying his nose in the dark curls at the base of the shaft. Ryuuji groaned as his world seemed to narrow down to where Rin's mouth and tongue were touching him. He clenched his fists, gripping tuffs of Rin's dark blue hair, but he let the boy work at his own pace lest he take revenge on Ryuuji once more. Finally, he began to speed up, keeping a steady rhythm up and down the length of his manhood.

            Ryuuji's breath became ragged, coming in short, shallow pants, the rhythm accompanying every up and down motion of Rin's head or stroke of his tongue. He could feel the pleasure building, like a tight dense knot at the base of his stomach, winding tighter and tighter with every movement of Rin's mouth, until finally something gave way and the knot exploded. Waves of pleasure rolled over Ryuuji as he gripped Rin's head tightly, his hips jerking. Rin simply did his best to ride it out, trying not to choke as he milked the last bit of pleasure from Ryuuji's softening dick.

            Ryuuji sat panting, leaning against the wall in Rin's bunk, trying to catch his breath as Rin stood and spat his mouthful in to a nearby waste bin.

            "Gross," Rin muttered under his breath, wiping his mouth, "It's like hot, salty Jell-O."

            "Don't tell me that," Ryuuji muttered, scrunching his brow up in disgust.

            Ryuuji began fixing his clothes up as Rin flopped down across his lap and smiled up at him.

            "So?"

            "So what?"

            "Are you gonna' ask me out, or what?"

            Ryuuji blushed, "You just sucked my dick, and you're gonna' make me ask all formally?"

            "I just sucked your dick, and you aren't going to ask?" Rin snapped, getting flustered.

            Ryuuji flushed, looking down at Rin pouting in his lap.

            "Rin Okumura!" Ryuuji huffed, and Rin looked up at him attentively. Ryuuji blushed, losing his nerve and looking away before he finished. "Will you go out with me?" he asked tentatively, almost as if he doubted the answer.

            "Hmmm..." Rin hummed, looking up towards the ceiling with his index finger by his mouth, a perfect pantomime of someone in thought. "This is so sudden. I'll have to think about it," he said, feigning shock.

            "Augh!" Ryuuji growled, rolling Rin off his lap and on to the floor with a thud. He stood swiftly to finish doing up his pants and buckling his belt as Rin winced, rubbing his tender tailbone.

            "I was just kidding," Rin whined, "Of course I'll go out with you. What kind of guy do you take me for?... Where are you going?" he asked, noticing Ryuuji heading for the door.

            "To class. We'll be late for homeroom, but if I go now I won't miss any classes."

            "Looking like that?"

            Ryuuji looked down at himself. He was sweaty, his clothes were rumpled, and his hair was a mess. Shima and Konekomaru would definitely notice something was up.

            "I'll say I got in to a fight."

            "With a vacuum cleaner? What about the hickies 'n stuff?"

            Ryuuji froze, and then left the dorm room without a word, heading towards the dorm's bathrooms as Rin shouted for him to wait up as he hurried to put on some fresh pants. When he got there, he stopped in front of the mirror and jerked his uniform collar down to reveal numerous hickies and bite marks dotting both sides of his neck.

            "What did you do?!" he growled at Rin.

            "Enjoyed myself?" he said with a shrug, "I'm pretty sure you enjoyed it too," he said defensively, reaching up to fix Ryuuji's collar. "Just ... I don't know. Wear the collar up and it's not too noticeable, maybe... Put a band aid on it or something?"

            Ryuuji huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, but let Rin continue to fret over the collar.

            Rin's hands suddenly went still, and their eyes met in the mirror. "Is it supposed to be a secret?" Rin asked with a pout.

            Ryuuji looked down at Rin, noting his melancholy look. "You know what Shima's like."

            "Yeah, but... He's harmless. He'll make some jokes and that will be it. It's not like he'd quit being your friend."

            Ryuuji sighed. Shima had a tendency to go with the flow, as long as the flow provided smooth sailing. Not to mention he had a very big mouth.

            "It's not Shima I'm really worried about," Ryuuji said finally.

            "Well, then what?" Rin reached up, pinching Ryuuji's cheeks. "You worried about damaging your cool guy image?"

            Ryuuji grabbed Rin's wrist with a grunt, and then just held it, running his thumb over Rin's skin for a moment. Rin looked up him, concern marring his brow.

            "I'm... I don't know..." Ryuuji released his wrist, and went back to fussing in the mirror, trying to see how noticeable the hickies were. "Aren't you worried about it?"

            "I'm the son of Satan," Rin said without hesitating, "If someone wants to give me shit over having a boyfriend, they can kiss my ass."

            Ryuuji chuckled, but then sighed. "That's so like you."

            Rin studied Ryuuji's reflection in the mirror. "What do you mean?" he asked.

            "Rushing in to things without considering the consequences... "

            "Why does everything always think that?!" Rin growled, "I DO consider them!"

            "Really?" Ryuuji asked, clearly not convinced.

            "YES!"

            Ryuuji raised an eyebrow, eying Rin sceptically in the mirror. Rin glanced back and forth between Ryuuji's reflection and the side of his head.

            "What?!" Rin asked, clearly able to tell that Ryuuji was leaving something unsaid, and getting frustrated.

            Ryuuji sighed. "It's nothing."

            "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do not pull that bullshit with me," Rin growled, but then his expression softened. "Are we, or are we not boyfriends now? If you can't tell me, who can you tell?" he asked, throwing Ryuuji a cheesy grin.

            Ryuuji wrestled with the words for a moment, sighing again. Rin simply waited.

            "You know, the other day, in the baths, when I asked you if you liked Shiemi..." he didn't actually finish, letting the unasked question hang in the air.

            "Yeah, what about it? You jealous?"

            Ryuuji huffed. "Kind of, but that's not the point."

            "Do tell," Rin said sarcastically, impatient for Ryuuji to get to the point.

            "Just now... earlier... when I confessed to you," he said, beginning to flush and stumble over his words. He swallowed, gathering up his courage for one last push, and turning to face Rin to look him in the eyes. "You seemed like you thought it was weird at first, but then changed your mind really quickly. How do I know you're serious? How do I know you won't change your mind again just as easily."

            Ryuuji braced himself, afraid Rin might be mad, but Rin chuckled, a condescending smirk spreading across his face. Ryuuji scowled, feeling the tips of his ears go red, no idea what to make of Rin's response.

            "That's it?" Rin asked, the smirk only growing wider.

            "Yes..." Ryuuji huffed.

            "You afraid I'll break your heart?"

            Ryuuji didn't respond, looking away from Rin, his face burning.

            "Aw, poor baby," Rin said with a laugh, reaching out to hug Ryuuji.

            "Fuck you..." Ryuuji said, but not with even an ounce of his normal conviction. He simply stood there as the smaller boy embraced him.

            "If it makes you feel better, I've actually been thinking about it for the past few days."

            "What?" Ryuuji asked in surprise, pulling away to look down at Rin, "Since when? Why?"

            A mischievous, almost predatory smile spread across Rin's face as he looked up at Ryuuji from the hug, and his tail swished behind him playfully. "Guess."

            "In the bath, when I asked if you've ever liked a guy?"

            "Before then," Rin said, still grinning, "Though that was pretty obvious too. What were you so pissed off about that day, anyways?"

Ryuuji flushed, remembering how he'd been jealous, ashamed, and angry at himself, and how he'd taken it out on Rin.

"Uh... nothing, never mind that. Don't change the subject," he said hurriedly, still trying to think of when he could have possibly given himself away. "Was it when I couldn't sleep because I was worrying about you?"

            "Still before that," Rin said, his smile growing wider by the second.

            Ryuuji scowled, not liking how much Rin seemed to be enjoying his confusion, and racking his brain to try to figure out how long Rin had been considering the possibility of a relationship with him.

            "Can't think of anything?" Rin asked tauntingly as he pulled away from the hug and danced away from Ryuuji, waiting for him to give in. Ryuuji only scowled, and Rin stuck his tongue out at him.

"Heaven forbid the possibility that I might have liked you for a long time now," he said as he rolled his eyes, an air of feigned indignation in his voice, "I pretty much thought you looked like an awesome badass from the moment I first laid eyes on you."

            Ryuuji blushed at Rin's confession, rubbing the back of his head, both pleased to hear it and ashamed at how he'd treated the boy when they'd first met.

            "Buuuuuut," Rin said, drawing the word out slowly, "I didn't consider the idea of a relationship with you until the night Shura accidentally got us drunk."

            Ryuuji paused as he thought back to the incident, and then paled as recognition set in. That night had been a little over a week ago, and he didn't remember a thing that had happened that evening.

            "What did I do?!" he asked in a panic, gripping Rin by the arms. Rin just laughed, extricating himself easily from Ryuuji's grip.

            "You really don't remember, do you?" he asked, that taunting grin still splitting his face.

            Ryuuji scowled, feeling as if his face couldn't possibly get any hotter. "Tell me."

            "Well... I guess you could say you confessed to me... in a manner of speaking," Rin said evasively.

            "What does that mean?!" Ryuuji growled.

            Rin just chuckled, looking like the proverbial cat that had just eaten the canary, the illusion completed by his fangs, and his tail languidly swaying back and forth behind him.

            "Tell me," Ryuuji said again, taking a menacing step towards him.

            Rin shook his head, the smile firmly in place, and took a step back, bracing himself.

            Ryuuji took another step forward, and Rin took another step back, but not watching where he was going he tripped over a s loose tile and slipped. Ryuuji's heart skipped a beat as he watched Rin fall. He reached out to grab him a moment too late and Rin cracked his head against one of the bathroom stalls behind him before tumbling to the tile floor.

            "Shit! Are you okay?" Ryuuji asked, kneeling to look Rin over.

            "Ffffffuuuu," Rin hissed, rolling on to his side in the foetal position and clutching his head with a grimace. Wincing, he pulled his hand away from his head and saw blood.

            "Fuck! I'm sorry!" Ryuuji said, panicking at the sight of the blood and struggling to help Rin to his feet. "We need to get you to a doctor."

            "No... No, I'll be fine, s'not your fault" Rin said, still wincing as he gingerly touched the back of his head again.

            "Idiot! This isn't fine, head injuries are-"

            "Demonic healing, Remember?" Rin said, cutting Ryuuji off before he could fly in to a fully fledged, panic induced rant. Rin stepped towards the sinks, bending down to let some water run through his hair, washing away the blood. He stood up and shook his head, sending blood tinged water droplets flying everywhere, only to wince and clutch his head again. Ryuuji went to his side to examine his head, but found that Rin was right. The bleeding was already scabbed over almost completely.           

            "Are you alright?"

            "Yeah... Yeah, just sore," Rin said, rubbing his head.

            "I'm sorry!" Ryuuji barked suddenly.

            "I already said it's not your fault... But you can make it up to me if you want?" Rin said, his demeanour brightening instantly, his mischievous smile securely back in place.

Ryuuji eyed him suspiciously before hesitantly asking, "... What do you want?"

Rin's expression rapidly changed to one of his famous pouts, lips pursed and eye's wide and imploring.

            "Well..." he began, "I don't really mind if we keep our relationship a secret, but if we do that, it means we won't get to spend much time together. You're almost always surrounded by Shima and Koneko, and Yukio is usually watching me like a hawk. Hell, I'm surprised he hasn't already come to find out why I'm absent from first period. I'll catch shit about it later for sure."

            "Get to the point."

            "Right... Well, seeing as I might not have much time left, what with the execution and all, I have some demands."

            "Demands?" Ryuuji scoffed, " Do you only remember the execution when it's convenient for extorting things from people?"

            Rin shrugged innocently and held up one finger, "First of all, we're already missing first period, and neither of us really in any shape to be going out," he said, referring to their rumpled, sweaty clothes, messy hair, bite marks and hickies, and the fact that Rin now had streaks of blood and water dripping down the side of his face.

            "So... skip today and spend the time with me instead?" he asked, looking up at Ryuuji.

            Ryuuji rolled his eyes with a quick sigh, but then smiled fondly down at Rin. "Fine, fine, if it means that much to you."

            "Yes!" Rin shouted triumphantly, punching his fists in to the air and then throwing himself in to Ryuuji's arms, and almost knocking the two of them over. They both froze, catching their footing, and staring at each other with wide eyes, hearts racing over almost having a repeat of the earlier accident, before Rin burst out laughing.

           

           

            "So, is that it?" Ryuuji asked, as they left the bathroom, his arm slung over Rin's shoulder "What are the other 'demands'?"

            Rin just smiled up at him. "We'll get to that when we get to that."


End file.
